Most Popular
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Korea enters full election mode
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
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S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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Kia EV9 wins world car of year
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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Korea misses out on global bond index boost
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[Weekender] Adorning mini-me
Ahn Hyun-ji, a 34-year-old office worker, recently received an unexpected request from her 3-year-old nephew as his birthday gift ― a BMW. He was referring to the BMW 3 Series convertible kids’ car priced at about 500,000 won ($470) here. “A Pororo toy car was not even on his wish list,” she said. “I first hesitated but decided to invest for the only child of my family.”Now is the so-called era of “eight pockets for one mouth.” Due to a falling birthrate, almost eight people ― parents, grandpare
IndustryOct. 10, 2014
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[Weekender] Traditional baby clothes find niche with modern look
Traditional handmade baby clothes with a modern twist are gaining popularity through word-of-mouth in the high-end baby wear market.“One-hundred percent hand-sewn baby clothes using traditional Korean fabric seem to appeal to moms, who look for items offering unique design and comfort to their newborn baby,” said Kang Keum-seong, who runs Viin Baby, a newborn baby wear brand based on the design of the traditional Korean hanbok. Kang, a famous traditional Korean patchwork “jogakbo” designer, debu
IndustryOct. 10, 2014
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[Weekender] Children’s luxury market booming
Thirty-one-year-old housewife Kim Jin recently bought her 2-year-old daughter a winter coat from Moncler for just over 1 million won ($930). She knew her daughter would probably wear it for no more than two years because kids grow so quickly, but said she could not resist buying it. “It would make a great match with my Moncler winter jacket. It is kind of a fad among mothers here to wear matching garments with their children,” she said. In her Internet community, Kim said, women gladly share the
IndustryOct. 10, 2014
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[Weekender] Affluent parents seek edge in education
Kim Hye-yeon, a 22-year-old student at Sogang University, visits a 3-year-old girl once a week. For two hours, she plays with her and reads to her as part of her “English tutor job.”“I’m not really an ‘English tutor’ per se, more like a glorified babysitter,” she said. Unlike conventional babysitting jobs, Kim’s work comes with a hefty price tag of 30,000 won ($28) per hour. It is not jaw-dropping but is more than most English tutors for high school students, which cost around 20,000 won and dem
Social AffairsOct. 10, 2014
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[Weekender] Jeju moves beyond tourism
Jejudo Island has been the country’s most popular vacation spot due to its scenic beauty and peaceful serenity, but beyond the brief respite from the hustle and bustle of urban life, more and more people from outside have opted to settle down there.From photographers to businesspeople and patients seeking natural healing, newcomers are enjoying the benefits of residing on the island that boasts clean water, refreshing sea winds, tropical plants and basalt rocks, all of which combine to create th
Social AffairsSept. 26, 2014
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[Weekender] Governor envisions balanced development
The head of Jeju’s provincial administration says he will push for the expansion of the island’s crowded airport to allow it to handle the soaring number of tourists, while supporting local businesses and enhancing education infrastructure. “(I will) take Seogwipo area into consideration primarily in terms of balanced growth if a new airport is to be built,” said Gov. Won Hee-ryong, in a recent email interview with The Korea Herald. The central government is choosing whether to build a new airpo
Social AffairsSept. 26, 2014
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[Weekender] Celebrities flock to Jejudo in search of peace, inspiration
Nearly three decades ago, Choi Sung-won of South Korea’s legendary rock group Deulgukhwa described the beauty of Jejudo Island in his signature song “The Blue Night on Jeju Island.” Choi suggested in his song that those who feel lonely or bored leave for Jejudo Island to see the blue sky and hear the sea whispering. Today, a growing number of Koreans are settling on the resort island of Jejudo, off the southern coast of South Korea. By July, more than 6,000 Koreans will have moved to the island
Social AffairsSept. 26, 2014
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[Weekender] Island home to tech firms
Daum Communications’ headquarters on Jejudo IslandA number of tech companies have moved to Jejudo Island on for its pleasant working environment and various tax incentives in recent years. The influx of high-tech companies to the island is transforming it from an agricultural and services-based economy into a center for information technology and manufacturing. Over 100 information and bio technology companies, including Daum Communications, Nexon, ESTsoft and Moneual have already relocated to J
IndustrySept. 26, 2014
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[Weekender] Natural wonders of Jeju
Every fall, Jejudo invites visitors to take part in a walking festival to explore the island’s fascinating landscape through the popular Olle walking trails.This year’s Jeju Olle Walking Festival, scheduled for Nov. 6-8, takes visitors to oreum (volcanic cones), unique rock formations and a white sand beach dotted along three of the 21 Jeju Olle walking trails. The trails lead to every nook and cranny of the island and reveal unspoiled natural wonders. Visitors witness stunning landscapes formed
TravelSept. 26, 2014
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[Weekender] Jeju aims for high-tech future
Jejudo Island, a repository of natural heritage loved by both South Koreans and foreign tourists, has been transforming its economic structure into more high-tech economy in recent years. Gov. Won Hee-ryong said early this month that he aims to double the island’s gross regional domestic product to 25 trillion won ($24 billion) within five years from the current 12 trillion won. The provincial government is now pushing ahead with fostering high-tech industries including electric vehicles, bio an
IndustrySept. 26, 2014
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[Weekender] Incheon makes global leap
With a population of 2.9 million, Incheon is Korea’s third-largest city and now the third Korean city to host the Asian Games. The city has come a long way since the Joseon era, for most of which it was a relatively small town, and its leaders see a great future for the city. “More than any other city, Incheon has potential for growth, and I think that national development cannot be achieved if Incheon can’t leap forward,” Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok said. “Many plans are being formulated to rea
Social AffairsSept. 12, 2014
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[Weekender] Asian Games boosts city’s global ambition
With the 17th Asian Games kicking off next Friday at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium, South Korea is seeking to make a good impression on the flock of international visitors set to arrive in the country’s gateway city.Organizers are also hoping that the biggest gathering of athletes in Asia will offer South Korean sports circles a chance to rebound from recent failures, while potentially acting as catalyst to mend corroding ties with North Korea.The event, taking place from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, wi
More SportsSept. 12, 2014
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[Weekender] Incheon mayor dreams big
Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok hopes to catapult the western port city onto the world map in the coming years. Although he is widely considered a close associate of the president ― a factor that carries much weight in local politics ― Yoo is faced with big tasks that range from handling the city’s 12 trillion won ($11.6 billion) debt and increasing investment in the free economic zone to successfully hosting the upcoming Incheon Asian Games. The Incheon mayor, however, is likely to have more than a
PoliticsSept. 12, 2014
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[Weekender] Songdo aims to become NE Asia’s education hub
University of Utah president David Pershing (fourth from left) and Ghent University president Anne De Paepe (fifth from left) cut the ribbon at the joint opening ceremony on Monday at the Songdo Global University Campus in Incheon. Joining the two school chiefs are Han In-suk (third from left), president of the University of Utah Asia Campus; and Lee Jong-cheol (far right), commissioner of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority. (University of Utah)With renowned universities opening up campuse
Social AffairsSept. 12, 2014
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[Weekender] Free Economic Zone picks up speed
The Incheon Free Economic Zone has gained momentum through attracting foreign investment and international firms to the area, stepping closer to its goal of becoming a major Northeast Asian economic hub. The IFEZ, South Korea’s first free economic zone, has strengthened its foothold as an international business-friendly zone for knowledge and technology-based business, tourism and the service industry since it was designated in 2003. “It certainly has been transformed from empty reclaimed land i
Sept. 12, 2014
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[Weekender] Incheon courts international organizations
With a diverse portfolio of international organizations, Songdo is seeking to become a leading business, tourism and logistics destination in Northeast Asia. Long known for its seaside amusement park, the reclaimed island is the linchpin of the Incheon Free Economic Zone, which, since its 2003 inception, has been grappling with budget woes, flagging foreign investment and a moribund property market. The launch of U.N. offices and other multinational bodies in recent years was deemed a much-neede
Foreign AffairsSept. 12, 2014
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[Weekender] Chuseok for modern Korean families
Family members dressed in traditional hanbok gather for the ancestral rite early in the morning on Chuseok, which falls on Aug. 15 on the lunar calendar. Dozens of dishes are laid out on the table for the rite, prepared by female family members over several days. After the ceremony, family members eat breakfast together. They make up for living apart in different regions by spending time together making songpyeong, a half-moon-shaped rice cake eaten during Chuseok. Such typical Chuseok scenes ar
CultureSept. 5, 2014
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[Weekender] Early Chuseok advances harvesttime
JANGSU, North Jeolla Province ― This year’s Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving Day, falls in the second week of September, the earliest in 38 years. Chuseok, one of the major traditional Korean holidays, celebrates the fall harvest and abundance on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. The moon is said to look fuller on Chuseok than on any other day.But the early Chuseok this year has advanced the harvesttime and delivery start for products and gifts by two weeks to a month. Chuseok
TravelSept. 5, 2014
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[Weekender] Chuseok’s diverse culinary traditions
In kitchens across the nation, families gather together to make traditional Korean dishes for Chuseok, one of South Korea’s largest annual holidays. This Sunday, households will be busy crafting songpyeon, half-moon-shaped rice cakes, and other delicacies to offer up to ancestors in appreciation of a good harvest this coming Monday morning. Those ceremonial tables, loaded to bursting with carefully prepared food, will vary from home to home, serving as edible symbols of the foodways of each fami
FoodSept. 5, 2014
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[Weekender] Parks, folk villages offer variety of festive choices
Chuseok, oftentimes referred to as Korean Thanksgiving, is one of the country’s most celebrated holidays and ushers in the fall season. Traditionally a time to spend at home with family members and loved ones, Chuseok is all about sharing in the riches of good company and good eats. However, for those looking for ways to spend the upcoming holiday outside the home, Seoul has countless destinations that are offering wide-ranging events and activities for both locals and expats alike. These opport
CultureSept. 5, 2014